


Past

by PotterPerson (Nikkilynnc100302)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dark Past, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fred Weasley Lives, Love, M/M, Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22330102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikkilynnc100302/pseuds/PotterPerson
Summary: James hears rumors about Draco's past at school and a confrontation happens when Draco tells the truth.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter, Draco Malfoy & James Sirius Potter, Draco Malfoy & Lily Luna Potter, Draco Malfoy & Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Kudos: 143





	Past

Harry and Ginny had been divorced for years. She only visited every couple of months, preoccupied with her quidditch team. So, Draco had become their parent. When James was eleven, he came home on Christmas break asking why everyone said so many bad things about Draco. It was then that they decided they needed to talk to them about the war. 

"What is this about?" Scorpius asked as they sat on the couch across from their parents. 

"This is about the rumors at school, isn't it?" James asked, looking angry. He had been mad at Draco since he had gotten home. 

"Yes, it is." Harry said.

"If you don't mind, Harry, I'd like to try and explain myself. If you could add in any details I miss, that would be great." Draco said. Harry agreed. 

"Explain what?" Albus asked. Lily also looked confused. 

"You all know about your dad's part in the war. How he beat Voldemort. What you don't know is my side of the war." Draco breathed out shakily. 

"It's okay, daddy," Lily said, seeing that he was nervous.

"Thank you Lils," Draco smiled at his daughter. "When I was sixteen, I took the dark mark. I didn't agree with Voldemort, not at all. But I had pretended for a long time that I did. You all have met my mother but my father was the one that agreed with Voldemort. He made my mother and I support him. There were very bad punishments if we didn't. When I took the mark, I was under the imperious curse by my father. That year, I did some very horrible things. I did them to protect my mother but I thought there was no other option. It's not an excuse but it is the reason. When I grew up a little bit, I was able to see my mistakes and I'm a lot different now than I was then." 

When Draco looked back at his children, they all looked shocked. Worse, they looked upset. 

"Why would you do that?" Albus asked, moving closer to Lily. 

"I thought I had to." Draco told them. 

James said nothing. Instead, he ran up to his room. Draco flinched as the door slammed. He couldn't bring himself to stay down there, feeling their fear. He went up to his and Harry's room, shutting the door quietly. He moved to the en suite, pulling off his shirt. He looked down at his arm. The mark wasn't there anymore, but the scars from trying to cut it off or distort the image were still there. The attempts had never worked, only managing to leave him bloody and sad. 

He heard the door to the bedroom open. He figured it was Harry so he didn't move, only kept looking at the scars that covered his whole front, scars he had gotten from the man he married. 

"What are those from, papa?" He heard. His eyes snapped to the doorway to find James. 

"Which ones?" He answered when the shock died down. 

"They're all from different places?" James asked, coming closer. Draco nodded. "What about this one?"

He pointed to the one that started at his shoulder and stopped at his belly button. 

"I got that one from your dad." Draco smiled. The memory wasn't a good one but the memories Harry had made since were. 

"What? How?" 

"The year I got the mark, your dad knew I was up to something and he followed me around all year. One day he found me in the bathroom crying and when I went to raise my wand, he used a spell he didn't know. Sectumsempra. It cut me up pretty bad but my godfather managed to heal it. Couldn't lose the scars though." 

"Why would dad do that?" James looked very confused and, more than anything, scared. 

"It was a war. We all did things we aren't proud of. Some of us more than others. But even I did good things in the war." Draco told him. "War is complicated. It changes people. One of the men Al is named after, Severus, was my godfather. He was a death eater too. But he was also a hero." 

"What good things did you do?" 

"I made sure all of Voldemort's prisoners were fed and I always healed them. I helped your dad escape when he got caught. I fought the death eaters during the final battle. I stopped the death eater that would have killed Uncle Fred." Draco listed. It had taken years of Harry telling him he had done good things to believe it. 

"I'm sorry I thought you were bad. It's just, it's hard when they all talk about you like they do." James said, looking down at the floor.

"I understand. Trust me, I do. But no matter what, I need you to know that I always tried to have good intentions. I also need you to know that I love you, and nothing will change that." Draco sat on his knees to look James in the eye. 

James threw his arms around Draco, who held him tight. 

"You think your brothers and sister will come around?" Draco asked.

"I heard dad chewing them out before I came in. I'm sure they're not far behind." James laughed. 

Indeed they weren't. Not ten seconds later, all four kids had tackled Draco to the ground with hugs. Harry laughed as Draco was crushed. 

He may have done some bad things in the past but he was a better person now. The present is what really matters.


End file.
